Desert Moon
by Crimson Shards
Summary: garahina?...A maskarade dance is held to chose Gaara's bride.[Hell wasn't filled with blood or corpses but rather super sweet smiles,ball gowns,& evil playful giggles...]
1. Set up

Disclaimer: I don't own shit so fuck it.

_thoughts... _"speech"... "_Recalled speech"_

**Desert Moon**

"I have called you all here because I have an invitation to the Desert Moon," Lord Hokage began pausing to see the girls reactions.

"The Desert Moon is a rare and enchanting event. It occurs only once the true heir has become ruler of Suna and has rightfully turned 20. That following winter solstice 4 days of spectacular dances and festivities are held at the Kaze's estate. The only ones present are eligible females from all nations and 4 Suna ninja. The females will enjoy the festivities and be narrowed down till on the final night, at midnight, the Kaze chooses his wife, the female that will bare his children. The tradition dictates that the wining female also gets a treaty for her native nation and will reside in Suna to fulfill her duties," She announced trying to sound honored rather then bored senseless.

"Excuse me, Lord Hokage but the last Kaze never held such an event," some female from the back stated obviously annoyed.

Tsunade cleared her throat as she explained, "Yes. You are right the last Kaze did not hold the event. However, bare in mind he was also not the true heir; the rightful heir died at fourteen from a disease that devastated Suna, leaving his surviving brother to become Kaze."

She paused again as she raised her voice trying to make sure everyone understood perfectly well the information she was going to give, "Gaara of the Desert is the rightful heir. And as such the Desert Moon must be celebrated" again she paused _I cant believe I'm asking this. I should of finished off that drink before I tried this soo early in the morning._

"All of you are eligible since you are all female Nin. You are also foreign born so more of you may participate, only four Suna nin are allowed entry. The limit for foreign nations is based on the highest amount the smallest nation can provide. Therefore, since the sound nation has declared it only has 15 females that can participate all other nations must meet that limit ...we are also allowed the option of up to 4 additional females to participate," She stated trying to sound enthusiastic though she knew that the winner would have to be eternally tied to the killer of the sand.

"Now obviously there are too many females in this room so I am given the prerequisite duty of narrowing you down. Moreover, all eliminations are final. I will start with my elite, since there are 7 of you and it is vital that our village be protected even during this festivity I will allow only two or three to go," she said eyeing the girls.

"I want the 4 youngest to step forward"

They obeyed, baring stoic emotionless expressions, unwilling to give away their jumbled thoughts.

"The rest may leave," she said waving her hand slightly and approaching her younger elite. She glanced at the girls then stopped before two girls, "you are excused as well, please leave the room."

She then faced the crowd of females "Any one here who feels unable to go through with this should step back and leave the room."

There was a pause and then slowly females began to leave. Chatter roose high as some discussed their decisions and others mumbled.

"There's no way I'm marrying that killer, who cares if he's hot" Ino said, her voice filled with outrage that this was even being considered.

"For once Ino pig your right. That sadistic killer will probably slaughter his wife within the first week just cuz she annoyed him" Sakura assured, a look of intense disgust relayed on her features.

Hinata remained silent listening to her friends discuss the unfavorable Kaze as the unwilling chunnin filed out first, leaving only a stubborn handful. When it was the jounin's turn Ino walked out but Sakura hesitated when she saw Hinata wasn't leaving.

"Hinata come on lets get out of here. You don't have to go through with this," she paused waving her hand around for emphasis, "there are plenty of stubborn and strong willed girls who are willing to sacrifice their lives for the leaf nation" she assured, grabbing Hinata's hand to bring her along.

Oddly, Hinata refused to budge pulling her hand away. "I-I'm sorry Sakura… I-I w-want to s-stay. Konoha n-needs me a-and I d-don't see it a-as punishment but an h-honor to participate in the Desert Moon." Hinata managed to say.

Sakura was shocked but continued on her way, dazed, as Hinata smiled timidly waving.

After a resonating sound of feet exiting, the room only contained 25 females. The chunnin were forced to combat each other to dwindle out the weak then the Hokage walked around and eliminated three more girls for no apparent reason. One, however, was unwilling to leave.

"You can't eliminate me I am a jounin and I am more then willing to marry the Kaze. If anything you should eliminate those weak chunnin since the Kaze will snap them in two before the ceremony's even over" she yelled, her blond pixy cut swaying with her movements. She wore a belly cut t-shit and knee length leather pants which showed off her scrawny figure. She acted a bit pretentious, but was in fact a very skilled fighter.

The Hokage ignored her and walked down the last two rows as the elite took the opportunity to escort the pissed-off female outside. The Hokage continued to scrutinize finally stopping in front of Hinata, debating whether to eliminate her._ It would be a shame if someone so innocent and kind were to be too ensnared by Gaara. The shy Hyuga always tries so hard. It would be best if I allow her to leave, her clan's honor wont let her leave on her own._

Before she could tell her to leave, Hinata spoke up.

"P-p-please Lord Hokage, I-I truly w-wish to participate. I k-know I may not w-win but I w-want to try a-and I want to g-go. If you'll allow me" Hinata said her stutter fading for a moment as her determination kicked in.

The Hokage said nothing but continued walking down the rows until she stood in the front and motioned for the two elite to return to the group.

"The 18 of you have been chosen and will now hear the details of the Desert Moon from a messenger."

At that a buff man, with a square unshaven face and dark brown army style hair, stepped in eyeing the females with disinterest and opening a sealed scroll.

"As tradition dictates the Desert Moon shall be held in 3 days and only the chosen few are to hear the ceremony's details. To avoid spies and complications." He paused, unwilling to continue. After three minutes, the Hokage got annoyed at the messenger's silence and his unblinking focus on the back wall.

"You can continue now I'm sure the information has sunk in. They are, after all, ninja so they are familiar with the need for secrecy," she said exasperated craving the whiskey she left on her desk.

The messenger spoke again his voice bored and tone even "and only the chosen few are to hear the ceremony's details."

The Hokage was about to reprimand the man when she caught his side-glance and realize he meant her. She narrowed her eyes in annoyance but understood that she could do nothing about this tradition and disappeared from the room in search of her neglected liquor.

The messenger continued unperturbed "the Desert Moon requires that all females wear traditional Suna gowns for their stay and have no distinguishing accessories from their native lands. The females must also wear masquerade half masks at all times while outside their respective rooms. The females that are eliminated will remove their masks and be escorted back to their nations each day at sundown" he read off, closing the scroll before continuing "You have till sundown to pack and take care of any business. You are to devolve none of the information I gave you except that you're attending the Kaze's engagement dance," he scanned the room with his calm demeanor, obviously not kidding.

"You can bring prepping needs (shampoo, ext), one pet if desired (said pet must be verified by me first), a sleeping bag for the trip there, jewelry, perfume, sunscreen, and hair accessories. All must fit into two bags which you will carry to Suna yourself. Anyone caught smuggling in something that isn't on the list will lose a finger. You may enter the adjacent room and chose a mask and a gown. Chose wisely…" with that he disappeared in a puff of dust allowing no arguments or questions.

The girls were shocked and silent for a moment then a stampede rushed into the other room to chose.

The room's walls were covered with masks, each unique and all hand made. Stunning designs and colors were set into each mask making them look enchanted with each sparkle depicting various creatures and encompassing mystery. The rest of the room was set up with rows upon rows of stunning dresses and in the back corner four seamstresses stood ready to adjust the fittings accordingly.

The girls scattered throughout the immense room and Hinata was one of the last to enter. She decided to find her mask fist since the other girls were battling and racing through the dresses fraticly.

-

_**eoheoheoheoheoheoheoheoheoheoheoheoheoheoheoheoheoheoheoheoheoheoheoheoheoheoh**_

**-**

Proud of her mask choice she walked slowly to one of the rows of dresses, trying to avoid the places where girls were fighting and yelling at each other. However, her spirits began to drop as other girls chatted loudly with the seamstresses, already finished.

_Maybe the dresses aren't the problem, they're beautiful... maybe I'm just too plain for them. _Her dark blue hair and white lilac eyes didn't exactly make her gorgeous, in fact she seemed to blend in easily. _Always forgotten and unnoticed._

She made it to the last row and walked slowly glancing at the choices dejectively. Only one other girl was still there and she was being fitted.

"Do you need any help miss?" one of the seamstresses asked, not even bothering to hide the annoyance in her voice.

"N-no I-I'm almost ready. I-I'm sorry for t-taking so long" Hinata answered now feeling rushed.

She walked on deciding to go back around and chose a blue dress which seemed to look fine with her hair, only to stop when something caught her eye. A deep red dress with a serpent dragon slithering up from the hem all the way around the dress to the neck amazed her. The snake was black with ruby eyes of the darkest sapphire and a tail comprising the uneven bottom hem. Sparkled jewels were incorporated as its scales and the silver edged winges were only partialy visible. Though the dress was beautiful, the realism of the creature drew her to the dress. She didn't often wear red, much less such a dark crimson but it just seemed so right, not too extravagant and yet still mesmerizing.

Much to the pleasure of the seamstresses, it even fit her perfectly flowing with her curves and reaching her ankles. They placed her dress and mask in a simple box with filler and a hard rock like interior. Then with a hand wave, her name was instantly shimmering over the cover in midnight blue sparkles. They handed her the surprisingly light box and pointed to the door but she was so happy and shocked that she just stood there till one of the older seamstresses spoke, her wrinkles and sneer apparent as she glared at Hinata, " we have to fix some of the other dresses so they'll be ready by sundown, and we would appreciate" she paused emphasizing the last word with dripping venom "it if you would be on your way Miss" again hatred filled emphasis and a look of disdain from the other females.

Hinata quickly ran out whispering her thanks as she left, and headed toward the Hyuga manor. However, she stopped halfway as she noticed the time and decided to quickly say her goodbyes before facing her family.

She ran toward the training area sure that her team would still be there, and a smile graced her lips as she spotted them eating under a willow tree.

"Oh hey Hinata!" Kiba said as he caught her sent, "how was the meeting?" he asked, his hand stopping halfway from giving Akamaru a slice of baloney, with a huge grin plastered on his face now that his missing teammate had returned.

"Anything important?" Shino asked his voice soft as he took another bite of his rice cake.

Hinata panted a bit and smiled, proud of the news "I-I was c-chosen to be o-one of the Konoha s-suiters for the Kaze," she said trying not to blush but failing.

Kiba's mouth fell open and he spit out his sandwich, choking, meanwhile Shino just stared at her oblivious to the rice ball he dropped or the bugs he was sending out.

Seeing their shock and silence Hinata decided to elaborate, "there's g-going to be a d-dance in Suna w-where g-girls from all nations will t-try to w-win Gaara ov…" she was cut of mid explanation.

"WHAT the fuck are you talking about. You can't marry Gaara, he's nutz. He'll kill you. Hell he'll probably kill every girl that so much as looks at him" Kiba yelled infuriated, standing up to his full height with Akamaru barking at his feet in affirmation. "There's no way you can go to that event. Its suicide."

Hinata was taken aback by his outburst and just stared at him clutching her box to her chest.

"Kiba's right. We'll get the Hokage to find someone else," Shino said standing up also and making his bugs return. He bent over retrieving his bag and made the signal for them to get going, obviously intent on straitening out the Hokage. Kiba followed his lead, shoving his uneaten sandwich into his pack and scoping up Akamaru.

"W-wait…" Hinata squeaked her eyes wide and her heart racing. She hadn't expected them to be so adamantly against her decision. In fact, she thought they'd be proud she was taking charge of her life, willing to do so much for her clan and village.

Kiba heard her and paused, confused because she wasn't following them. "Hey Shino! Hold up man"

Shino paused his long stride and walked back to Hinata waiting for an explanation.

"I-I …I want to go" was all she said, hesitantly looking up to meet they eyes.

"What!" Kiba and Shino said in unison. Both shocked that she wanted to go through with it.

"I-I'm s-sorry but i-it is m-my d-decision a-and I-I'm g-going to go. I-I j-just w-wanted to s-say bye to y-you b-both before I l-l-left"

Tears were building up in her eyes as she stared at the ground feeling horrible for not doing what they wanted, but unwilling to back down. She didn't want them to see her cry, ninja were not suppose to cry.

Kiba was the first to recuperate from the shock. He could smell her tears and it hurt to know he did that to her after she'd been so happy about her announcement.

"Hey don't worry we was just kiddin. You takin a break and attending the dance ain't so bad. Hell you'll get to see Suna and maybe bring us back some souvenirs," Kiba said forcing himself to sound cheerful and enthusiastic at the thought of getting crap from Suna when all he wanted was to tie Hinata up to keep her from risking her life and smash the Hokage's face in for even considering Hinata as Gaara's death bride.

"It's your choice" was all Shino said, but Kiba could tell he was just as annoyed by the prospect of Hinata leaving.

"Your not a-angry with m-me?" was all Hinata could manage to stutter, still refusing to look up.

"No, of course not. Shino and me just overreacted a bit we thought you were being forced and you know we just want yah to be happy," Kiba rambled quickly trying to make her believe his sugar coated lies.

Hinata wiped her eyes before looking up and smiling shyly at their support. She was afraid to do it if they disagreed. She cared a lot about them and wanted her friends to believe in her.

"Thank you," she said, then noticing the suns position she added, "I-I should go. I s-still have to pack. I'm leaving t-tonight" she finished looking at both boys in turn.

"Tonight?" Shino asked shock evident in his voice though nothing else gave away his reaction.

"Y-yes. We are traveling tonight and I have to say bye to my family and pack"

"Hey don't worry me and Shino will give you a trinket to remember us by so you won't feel so bad on your trip…how long is it again?" Kiba asked trying to get more information and still seem supportive.

"A week"

Both boys were silent at that, having never been separated before since they became a team.

"You don't have to get me anything…I'm not allowed to take much only necessities"

"Can we at least see you off?" Shino asked simply, trying not to let himself sound needy.

"O-of course I-I'd really like that. But y-you don't h-have to," Hinata managed to say.

"We'll be there. Nothing would stop us from seeing you off ," Kiba assured with Akamaru barking at his side.

"Thank you, I-I'll see you then," Hinata said as she began to leave, turning to glance at them once more as she disappeared into the trees.

-

_**uoykcufuoykcufuoykcufuoykcufuoykcufuoykcufuoykcufuoykcufuoykcufuoykcufuoykcuf**_

**-**

She managed to get to the gates with time to spare though her father's contempt bothered her.

His voice still echoed in her ears. _"make yourself presentable and don't lose. It would be an insult if you lost on the first days. Having the Kaze chose another over a Huyuga heir is unacceptable, its your mission and duty to make sure your chosen. The Hyuga don't lose. Remember that." _A cruel reminder of her family's feelings toward her. If she couldn't be strong and she couldn't be smart then all she was good for was an arranged marriage, and apparently her father didn't feel she could mange that either.

She forced the tears away as she saw a few girls already at the gate each carrying a large backpack and duffle bag. She headed toward them but stopped when she heard barking.

"Hey Hinata! I told you we'd be here," Kiba yelled as he ran toward her with Akamaru in his jacket. Shino was behind him leaping from building to building and landing a few feet from her.

"Do you have everything?" Shino asked, noticing she carried only a duffle bag.

"Y-yes, I d-don't n-need much" she blushed.

Kiba smiled at her simplicity and let Akamaru down. The dog jumped onto Hinata's leg barking and wagging his tail until she bent over and lifted the puppy. She was snuggling with Akamaru oblivious to the final female arrivals until the instructor poofed in.

"Is everyone ready?" the messenger asked. He was carrying only a small backpack and he glanced around at the girls then continued, "please bring all pets forward for final decisions, all animal denials are final and any one who argues can remain here with the creature. Lets start from the lowest rank. Bring the beasts forward"

"Hey Hinata…?" Kiba called. snapping her out of her temporary comfort as she gazed up at him.

"If you're allowed to take pets why don't you take Akamaru with you?"

Hinata stared at him shocked for a second before answering "I-I can't take Akamaru h-he's yours. I c-couldn't…"

"You won't be keeping him its more like travelin with him. He'll keep you safe and keep me and Shino from worryin till your trip ends."

"B-but…"

"Come on, Akamaru's always buggin me about wantin to travel and he'll keep you company. I got Shino so you don't have to worry about me," Kiba said placing his arm around Shino for emphasis. Shino, meanwhile, was trying to restrain his urge to have bugs paralyze Kiba's arm. "Go on take him, he really likes you."

"I-I don't know Kiba..."

"You don't but we do. At least see if he passes inspection. If he does then its fate. At least try Hinata. Please..." Kiba was making his famous puppy dog eyes with Akamaru doing his part to look extra cute and huggable.

"Akamaru could prove useful to you," Shino added as his thoughts wandered,_ At least with Akamaru, there will be someone there to protect her…even if it is just a scruffy mutt._

"I-I… ok...I'll try," Hinata said nodding shyly as the messenger's voice was heard again.

"Jounin pets to the front."

She got in line behind two other girls one holding a gold-breasted parrot with brown wings and the other holding a large black golden retriever. The parrot was denied as was the retriever, neither getting an explanation just denial. Hinata's turn was next and she nervously handed the man Akamaru. The messenger ran his hand down the dog's back checked his teeth, legs, stomach, and eyes with slow precision of an expert groomer. He stared at the dog and began to turn toward Hinata only to quickly backhand the dog. There was no time for Hinata to stop him, his movements were too quick but luckily Akamaru dodged to the side growling at the messenger with his hair standing on end.

"It passes. In Suna you will be provided a leash which will restrain it at all times," was all he said. Hinata nodded and left with Akamaru at her side still shocked at the results.

"So...how'd he do?" Kiba asked egger and nervous. He'd groomed Akamaru in the morning but maybe he could of done a better job …_maybe I should of remembered to brush Akamaru's teeth or wash under his paws_.

"He passed," was all Hinata could say, still dumbstruck that the puppy had made it through.

"Really, that's great!" Kiba yelled, pumped at Akamaru's accomplishment

"You will both do well," Shino agreed while Hinata just blushed and picked Akamaru up.

"Inspection is complete. Collect your things we're leaving," with that the messenger began to walk away.

Hinata grabbed her bag "I- I'll miss you guys. And I-I'll take g-good care of Akamaru. B-Bye" Hinata said as she began to walk toward the messenger, glancing back as she went.

"Bye Hinata!" Kiba yelled making her blush.

"Bye" Shino stated watching her every move, through his dark tinted glasses, as she ran toward the fading group.

-

**ssehctibssehctibssehctibssehctibssehctibssehctibssehctibssehctibssehctibssehctibssehctibssehctib**

**-**

Suna could be seen in the distance and the girls were beyond relieved. They had traveled at a fair pace with few stops. The only obstacle had been the drastic change in weather. The messenger had failed to warn them about the desert heat and he hadn't allowed them to bring water, food, or a change in clothes.

The only water available was what the messenger gave them and food consisted of meager meal bars. Two and a half days travel and most of the ninjas were about ready to slaughter the messenger to devour the remaining rations.

They traveled into the night until they reached Suna. The Kaze's manor was extensive with an eerie glow against the shadowed moon. The girls waited outside the main gates as the messenger entered and announced their arrival.

Five curly haired blonds suddenly appeared, with large fake smiles and high hushed voices, all looking rather similar in their plain tan dresses.

"Welcome to Suna. We will be showing you to your respective rooms but first you must all follow us to the adjacent stable."

The girls all complied to the odd request, happy to be out of the desert.

"Now one by one you will go into that empty stable and place your masks on. Then one of the maids will escort you out the back and into the dinning hall of the manor itself," one maid said with a large smile noticing nothing wrong with her request.

Hinata's turn came and she followed the maid into the large building, it's cream-colored walls and long corridors gave her a hard time trying to keep track of the directions. But she forgot all about the hallways as soon as she entered the dinning room, it was huge. _Its easily the size of the entire Hyuga 1st floor._ The room was packed with girls in a variety of clothing and masks, some animals were even visible, immersed within the noise. Hinata was directed toward a seat near the back end of the second row table next to a green cat masked girl and an orange serpent. She smiled at the girls shyly, focused on petting Akamaru and avoiding eye contact, when a loud voice echoed off the walls.

"Tonight will be your first night in Suna. You will be staying in rooms of three and will adhere to the rules the messengers explained. In addition, you will refer to yourselves by first name only and cannot give out any information about your nation. This dance is unique in the fact that the Kaze will choose his Desert Rose blind in most traditional senses. He can not see your faces, know your country, you rank, or even your clan. The alliance created by the Desert Moon lasts until the Kaze's death and makes all other alliances subject to revision. Anyone caught breaking one of the sacred traditions will be punished, and then removed from the dance. All fights are to take place in the courtyard in the back of the manor. You are to remain within the Kaze's grounds at all times and no smoking is allowed in-doors. Most importantly, no one is to enter the manor's third level for ANY reason, the penalty being execution. Nevertheless, enjoy your stay. Your rooms are on the second floor, each designated with your name, you are not allowed to wear anything but what has been provided. The maids will be available and will provide any further necessities. Food will be served shortly. Eat then go to your rooms, the Kaze will arrive by daybreak to start the event," the voice faded away and the lights flickered for a moment as upbeat music began to play.

-

_**norbacnorbacnorbacnorbacnorbacnorbacnorbacnorbacnorbacnorbacnorbacnorbac**_

**-**

_I'm going to be trapped in my own house with chattery pompous girls…There are going to be large eliminations so I'm not tempted to slaughter them..._

"Gaara…" one of his elite began, only to stop because the sand was starting to dance around his feet teasingly.

_He'll think twice before he interrupts me… though tearing off a leg would be a more effective reminder…_Gaara was in no mood to be bothered and those who valued their lives would keep their mouths shut tight. Luckily, the team arrived in Suna quickly so no blood was shed.

A guard took the reigns for the horses as they entered the manor's grounds. Gaara escorted his own horse back to its private stable and began to groom it, trying to waist time and avoid the torment that awaited him. He ran the brush down the gray mare's side, careful so he didn't spill water on his clothes. _The last thing I need is to get stuck changing again_ a growl escaped his lips at the memory of choosing his attire.

Finishing his work, he exited the stable, where two guards were posted, and proceeded to the manor. The guards posted throughout the manor were specifically chosen and briefed on their duties, making it especially clear that they were banned from speaking, unless there was a dire emergency, to anyone but the Kaze.

Gaara saw several females roaming the main floor and walked past them, deaf to their pleasantries. He managed to get as far as the double staircase when a green cat mask obstructed his view.

"Good morning Kazekage-sama! My name is Eleanor and I find your manor stunning," she purred pushing her chest forward so he could look down her low cut gown top.

"Good for you," was all he replied as he made his sand push her out of his way.

However, he didn't get very far when someone bumped into him, rounding a curve. The offending female was on the floor wearing a white mask with midnight blue eyeliner and dark blue splotches that created the form of a tiger.

He glared down at her for a moment then walked away as his sand lifted her roughly to her feet.

He was seeing what Hell was like first hand. _It's not filled with blood and corpses but rather super sweet smiles, ball gowns, and evil playful giggles._ _Even Shukaku wouldn't subject people to this level of torture._


	2. Dances

**Disclaimer: **I don't own shit so fuck it

_thoughts ..."_speech_"... 'Shukaku speech'_

**Reader Warning **

Simply: if ur anti-gore ur fucked...if u dont like twists ur fucked... ..and if aint keen on swears ur screwed like hell, up the ass with a 2X4

so good luck reading this shit

**Desert Moon**

Running late for the festivities after getting irreversibly lost, she had no choice but to activate her Byakugan as she raced down the halls.

She was trying to maneuver the large dress down another indistinct corridor when she was suddenly pushed to the floor, the jolt causing her to deactivate her blood-line limit.

Her breathing was erratic and the shock kept her from moving. All she could comprehend was that Gaara was standing in front of her- his hands at his sides, his hair slightly longer covering his tattoo as his eyes reflected cold annoyance- glaring down at her.

He was wearing a black outfit with a deep redish-black cape designed with a faint black symbol which just barely peeked out from behind his broad frame. Throughout the front of his shirt was a flamed design of some sort of tan ruby eyed dragon; intricate detail stitched into its menacing fire spitting stance as its claws seemed to reach out ready to claim its next victim. _Those red eyes seem to almost watch me _but before she realized her rude stare he began to walk away. The black silken pants barely moving with his pace.

She snapped out of her trance, a strong blush displaying her embarrassment as she was roughly pulled to her feet. She just stood there a moment, still on shaky legs, trying to figure out what happened but the loud dong of a clock snapped her out of her reverie making her run all the way to the main banquet room.

As she entered the noise reached her ears. _Apparently the sand walls made the rooms' practically sound proof. _

She scanned the room and decided to stand by the banquet table so she wouldn't bother anyone. _All the food is prepared in Suna's national colors of red, tan, and black_. She smiled at that tiny detail. She didn't recognize any of the food but she noticed the sake and some sweet smelling punch_. I can't just stand here _she realized and filled a glass with the odd punch and put some of the smallest oddities into a plate to nibble on.

Observing the girls interact she noticed a dragon theme portrayed on the outfits; some had shadowed silhouettes, or tiny etchings, while others had dramatic all encompassing designs but the symbol seemed to snake its way into each dress, ever present with its powerful stances and rage filled eyes. _I'm sure Sikamaru will be interested in knowing Suna's nation 'bird'..._she smiled slightly at the thought only to falter when she realized they probably didnt even miss her..

_-_

**dretsabsdretsabsdretsabsdretsabsdretsabsdretsabsdretsabsdretsabsdretsabsdretsabdretsabdretsabdretsabdretsabdretsab**

**-**

He finally managed to reach his room and took only a slight comfort in that success. _It's only a matter of time before Kankuro tries to make me join the "festivities". _

He knew what was going on below. _The girls with their fake smiles and laughs will be downing the liquor faster then it can be served. There will be incessant noise and glaringly bright colors everywhere. The room will be hot in spite of the breeze and I'll be the center of the Chaos fighting for every inch of space. The masked females will attempt to slip their claws into me and I will have to spend the evening dancing to idiotic songs while restraining Shukaku's urge to kill the brain dead imbeciles, ending their pitiful games. _

_'It would be soo easy to make their blood rain ...' _Shakaku's whispered soothingly. '_All you have to do is sleep...I'll make sure the dance is memorable...'_

a light chuckle resounded in Gaara's head.

Again Gaara just ignored Shukaku, trying his best not to listen to the tempting offer of obliteration.

_If I'm stuck completing this dance then I'm gona make it as bearable as possible._

_-_

**erohwerohwerohwerohwerohwerohwerohwerohwerohwerohwerohwerohwerohwerohwerohwerohwerohwerohwerohwerohwerohw**

**-**

As the afternoon neared a close Gaara appeared in a giant whirl of sand, it was larger then necessary to insure he kept the swarm at bay.

He was standing at the front of the room on the small stage and motioned for one of the guards to come to him as the sand continued to swirl at his feet. The guard hesitated but obeyed as he saw Gaara's eyes narrow slightly.

Gaara stopped his sand demonstration handing the heavyset man a scroll, meanwhile, silence prevailed around the room as a speech became apparent.

"Our lord Kaze, Gaara of the Desert has proclaimed a new rule to be upheld during the festivities. 'No person upon the sake of their lives will come within 3 feet of the Kaze. In addition no Desert Rose is to speak directly to the Kaze unless he initiates the conversation.'" a bit taken aback by the proclamation he gave a light pause, sneaking a glance at Gaara, but continued nevertheless "remember tradition dictates that all rules be followed, otherwise repercussions will be assigned accordingly. That is all"

A faint smirk crossed Gaara's features at his brilliance, then he reached into his robe for the scroll listing the appropriate music.

-

**tulstulstulstulstulstulstulstulstulstulstulstulstulstulstulstulstulstulstulstulstulstulstulstulstulstulstulstulstulstulstulstulstulstulstuls**

**-**

_We're not allowed near him… I wonder if he made that rule because I bumped into him... _Hinata wondered a bit frantic as she fiddled with the food on her plate. Apparently she didn't make a good impression…

She watched as he disappeared into his sand tornado, reappearing moments later amidst the crowd strolling across the dance floor with an incredible display of mini tornados. The females parted immediately before him as music started playing, from odd shaped instruments in the shadowed section of the stage, containing a soothing yet melancholy undertone. _Its heart-breaking melody seems out of place in a festive atmosphere. _

The females began turning in slow well placed circles. It began in one corner and soon the room was filled with twirling dresses and slow side steps. The coordination and sure movements seemed to spread as the large crowd moved as one, each being pulled by their invisible puppet strings, flowing gently with each note played.

Hinata left her food and tried joining the dance. She stepped once to the side and twirled slow then stepped left but her timing was atrocious and she kept stepping on some of the other girls feet. By the time the song ended, she was beet red and had five females glaring daggers at her through their elegant masks.

The lights flickered and the room was cast in a pale blue light as the next song played with its sad tempo and lazy pace. Hinata watched others move and after getting pushed twice decided to just enjoy the music. The only problem with her decision was that the dancers barely left any space for someone to just stand; even the banquet table was constantly being pressed against, as the girls displayed their "grace" and skill. Hinata waited for the dancers to step left then she scurried a few paces toward the door. She was pushed a bit but repeated the process ignoring the dirty looks that she received for disrupting the dancers.

With a relived sigh, Hinata reached the open veranda doors and stepped outside. She turned back around and saw two guards positioned at either side of the doors but neither one moved to stop her or even acknowledge her presence.

Taking a deep breath from the evening air Hinata headed toward a sofa swing suspended between two thick black poles. It seemed a bit out of place in the vacant yard. All that surrounded it was sand and odd cactus plants, which drizzled green into the plain scenery, displaying their red flowers to the moon.

There was also a fountain to her far left spraying an eloquent cascade of water while lights made it shine Suna's colors at odd intervals.

The sky was just beginning to darken and the desert's fabled cold was setting in slowly. A shiver went up Hinata's arms but she relaxed on the swing humming along with the music. _...If my father only knew I was out here freezing while the Kaze danced inside, he'd disown me._

A tear slid down her cheek and she quickly brushed it away, relieved that the darkness shadowed her momentary weakness.

Then, a soft whining sound was heard and Hinata stared at the open doors confused. _The noise obviously wasn't from the musicians but it was muffled. _She looked around to insure that no one was spying on her before activating her blood-line gift.

Her scan didn't show anything surprising but she still focused on the ball room to make sure. The dancers were still twirling but to a slightly different pattern then earlier and Gaara was standing near the punch bowl with girls doing extensive twirls to make him take notice. His eyes seemed to focus on nothing as he began to dance slowly, moving almost as if he was in a trance, doing some quick steps that sent him further into the room, his upper body stiff as his legs carried him along. His sand swayed at his feet, a constant reminder of his distance rule, yet it also created an intricate part of his dance. The song's melody rose as Gaara's sand rose higher and he kept up his curious waltz until he was halfway across the room.

Hinata's hand fidgeted with the hem of her dress as she watched Gaara's fluid motions and noticed something was off about his appearance. _I'm probably just tired from straining my vision..._

She forgot all about her initial reason for spying until Gaara turned directly toward her, his eyes narrowing while his body continued its waltz holding her gaze till she looked away.

Hinata quickly deactivated her Byakugan and stared at her fingers. A deep red flush gracing her cheeks.

_He wasn't looking at me… he couldn't have… I'm too far from the manor and the darkness would barely allow him to see more then a slight silhouette at most i-if he was somehow able to see me..._

She shivered and glanced upward, almost expecting him to be standing before her, glaring at her with those intense sea green eyes. All that greeted her was the wind and darkness mixed with the low squeak of her swing. She glanced around again, her heart beating quickly as the beautiful cactuses seemed to cast eerie shadows and distorted forms across the sand.


	3. Not what it seems

**Disclaimer: **I don't own shit so fuck it

_thoughts ..."_speech_"... 'Shukaku speech'_

**Reader Warning **

Simply: if ur anti-gore ur fucked...if u dont like twists ur fucked... ..and if aint keen on swears ur screwed like hell, up the ass with a 2X4

so good luck reading this shit

**Desert Moon**

****

He waited...silently watching her...unsure of his reasoning he watched nonetheless..

_I know her I'm sure... her eyes they're ..._

_'they'll look stunning with blood dripping in gentle streaks, slowly caressing her pale cheeks as the crimson tears drift toward the ground..'_

_'Just imagine...lilac eyes bathed in red...it's to die for'_

A soft chuckle resounded in his mind as the demon savored the possibilities.

He stood still watching her hand rise up to rub her eyes, ridding herself of her tears, allowing the darkness to encase her in its bosom. _Apparently, this dance isn't as "festive" as everyone claimed._

She seemed to sense him, yet even from his distance hidden by the roof's shadows he could only faintly make her out, watching a silhouette, as it were, illuminated briefly by the decorative lights of the fountain-- blinking to provide him teasing glimpses of the frail girl.

He was tempted to try to use his sand to extend his vision but he couldn't risk overextending his sand ...at least not right now. As it was, he was already straining his concentration. So he just watched her as she scrunched up her face to concentrate as her body stiffened (except those damn fiddling hands) staring toward the ballroom.

_She's watching something...but what could be so interesting?..._

_'...lets think that over as we snap her neck'_

He closed his eyes for a moment, drowning out Shukaku's voice, as he stared at her from his sand. He still too far too see clearly with the shadows mockingly obscuring her features and yet it was almost as if he had looked right into her eyes since she looked away instantly: her body twitching slightly, her face turned away, staring instead at her hands, bushing.

He ignored the fact that she had apparently looked through a wall as he watched her stand up abruptly, heading back to the dance.

_Maybe another time Shukaku…she's going back inside_…

-

anatihsanatihsanatihsanatihsanatihsanatihsanatihsanatihsanatihsanatihsanatihs

-

Inside the lights flickered back to normal as a booming voice echoed around the room demanding attention.

" All Desert Roses have danced splendidly but it's time for some of you to be sent home," there was a pause while whispers and gasps were heard, apparently ninjas wearing masks aren't as stoic. "File into rows. The lord Kaze will hand a rose to each female that will continue. All others are to file out in an orderly fashion toward the veranda." Kankuro explained enjoying the view of the dresses' from his angle deft to their chatter. _I'm soo gona work the rebound...I mean come on, I'm fucken Seexy so I don't see how they could resist me...and being next in line for ruler just makes me all the more irresistible_ A smirk played on his features as he lost himself in his daydream.

"no"

"What are yah talking about?" Kankuro asked staring at his brother, confused and momentarily forgetting to speak professionally_... h-he cant Just refuse..._

Gaara leaned toward his brother, his sand sliding up and covering the speaker on Kankuro's shirt. His voice was hushed and his eyes showed no hint of emotion as he spoke, "make them introduce themselves to the female on their right."

With that Gaara moved away standing erect at center stage watching his brother who just stood there confused. Slowly he disentangled his sand from his brother speaker and settled back into his customary glare.

Once freed Kankuro turned toward Gaara, shaking slightly from the close contact before he managed to finally find his voice, glancing at the expecting crowd.

"umm...I...um Gaara wants all the females to introduce themselves to the girl to their right...before he begins the elimination process..." he managed to say reluctantly. Seeing the confused audience he added, "it will...help yah get to know each other better...so ...yeah say hello," ending lamely as girls began their introductions.

-

toomrahstoomrahstoomrahstoomrahstoomrahstoomrahstoomrahstoomrahs

-

Hinata stared at the stage a bit longer before turning to her right. The plump navy female was already speaking to the girl next to her, joking about some family member, so she turned to her left only to find a similar situation. She twiddled her fingers a bit before deciding to try to ease her way into one of the conversations.

Turning to her right she started "um..h-hello, I-I'm Hi.." but her voice faltered as the girls continued to ignore her existence. Swallowing hard she tried again, committed to introducing herself and being more then a shadow. "h-hello my name is Hinata" but even with her voice was raised the chatter around her drowned out her attempt.

Unsure what else to do she turned toward the stage hoping she wasn't being evaluated on her inability to make friends. What was strange though was Gaara's odd position - he was standing still at center stage, eyes closed, head bent slightly, and arms crossed - it looked almost as if he was asleep standing up. But she turned away quickly, feeling her cheeks color at the thought.

-

elohssaelohssaelohssaelohssaelohssaelohssaelohssaelohssaelohssa

-

_At first I didn't notice anything strange, I mean come on there were swarms of girls begging to give me nose bleeds, who in their right mind would notice anything else. However, as the screechy voices reached my ears I started to think over Gaara's request. He HATES it when there's a lot of talk..so. why would he inflict that torture on himself?_

I sneaked a glance at my fearsome brother only to be struck cold. _Sure his glares were feared and his words were harsh as shit but he was standing there with his eyes CLOSED. Now don't get me wrong he's my bro and we're cool even after all the killings he's committed ...but if he's asleep I'm as good as dead...Hell! WE'RE dead._

I scanned the room suddenly realizing the actual duress of the situation._ If Gaara goes psycho we're trapped... the room's got two exists both guarded, the walls and floor are partially sand...he only has to close the doors and the blood drenched screams will reach no-one but him...he can insure no witnesses...he's in total control.._

A cold sweat slid down my back as my gaze returned to the motionless bachelor._ Was the 'chatting' a ploy for Shukaku..._

Questions kept coming and I had no choice but to watch, hoping at least for a swift death among the first victims so I wouldn't see the hotties get dismembered.

-

ehcnipehcnipehcnipehcnipehcnipehcnipehcnipehcnipehcnipehcnipehcnip

-

Gaara's eyes suddenly snapped open. Off the corner of his eye he could see Kankuro wince, whispering what sounded like regrets for 'not smacking da't ass when he had the chance', but Gaara ignored his idiocies focusing on the females as the floor grasped on to their legs and tied their hands securely. Some of the more experienced ninja had pulled out their hidden arsenals ready to attack but Gaara barely acknowledged their threats or failed attacks as he closed his eyes and moved his right hand back and forth.

It almost looked like he was a conductor of an orchestra with his quick and subtle wrist movements.

The girls didn't have time to asses his odd behavior; though, since they were suddenly being moved toward two walls. Trapped by the floor, it clutched at their legs holding the girls in place, it repositioned them looking more like quicksand then anything else from its unstable shape.

There were indignant yells, struggles, and a mess of backfiring jitsu but the sand continued to move the girls into the designated locations. The few ninja who adamantly struggled slashing at the sand and thrashing like crazy were soon incased up to their shoulders so they stopped.

Once he was satisfied Gaara opened his eyes and glanced at the choices on the back wall, looking every bit the trained killer nations rightfully feared.

There were a few stray shivers and some angry glares but he paid no attention to it. Instead he lifted his hand and moved a few girls off the back wall before speaking.

"Back wall continues," with that he disappeared releasing the ninja as well.

-

daehkciddaehkciddaehkciddaehkciddaehkciddaehkciddaehkciddaehkciddaehkcid

**-**

The room held less then a third of the original females, each confused and unsure .

Kankuro wasn't sure what to make of Gaara's method but decided to just proceed as planned _its not like he hurt anyone, he just scared the fuck out of his choices..._

"Well...You have all been selected to continue until tomorrow and may continue to enjoy tonight's festivities while the others are escorted to their respective countries." Was all Kankuro said trying to recite the speech casually. As the music began playing he made his way outside to console His females and maybe offer to hold a few of the more traumatized girls.

The music was oddly up beat and was obvious folk song. It reminded Hinata of a song she once heard Kiba humming and smiled at the memory in spite of her uneasiness.

The girls had a lot more room and a few tentatively began the playful dance to ease their nerves. A girl in teal blue dipped herself and began to run around making a chain of hands as she turned this-way-and-that holding the other's wrist and moving with the rhythm. The pace of the song kept excelerating and soon all the girls were connected into three circles spinning their circles one way then changing course when a saxophone played a high tune. It was exhilarating and Hinata was surprised to find that she could do the dance fairly well only messing up the direction a couple of times.

She smiled happily forgetting her worries and the song ended a bit too soon.

Gazing around the room with joy Hinata accidentally caught Gaara's gaze,_ I didn't noticed him return_. He was staring at her from the stage so she quickly averted her eyes trying to stop her blush.

Another song began playing but feeling self-conscious Hinata strolled instead toward her only friend, the banquet table.

She grabbed some grape-ish fruit but had to use a napkin to spit them out since they were far too tart for her, leaving a bitter grass aftertaste. A few similar taste tests revealed that most of the food was bitter and the only thing she could stomach seemed to be the odd fruity punch which had a sweet sent and slightly tangy taste. She downed two glasses before gliding over to the second table on the other side of the room, hoping to find something edible since she hadn't eaten anything all day, thanks to her nerves. The teal female was also picking through the food and smiled up at Hinata.

"It was rumored that the Kaze had a thing for sour treats and based on this food I'd say that was an understatement" she paused to muffle a laugh and added " my names Tenten by the way"

" Oh.. I-I'm Hinata, Hinata…" she smiled sheepishly looking at the ground, realizing she couldn't properly introduce herself.

"It's nice to meet you.. You seem really shy is this your first big social event" Tenten asked curiously.

"n-no… m-my family has big ceremonies at our estate …I-I've just never attended a dance before.. or a-anything like this" Hinata managed feeling a bit more confident now that she was speaking with a female who seemed friendly.

" This is a rare event, I've always loved dances and learned all my villages' songs at a very young age. It's an honor to be allowed to participate in such a glamorous dance." She made an exaggerated hand movement while bowing then continued smiling, "normally I just twirl around while I clean," she confessed laughing gently making Hinata smile.

Noticing Hinata's empty plate Tenten changed the topic." You should try the menudo, that red soup thing.. It's a little spicy but warms you up and doesn't taste bad," she explained pointing to some odd bubbling soup that looked like someone threw-up in it.

Seeing Hinata's hesitation Tenten served her a small bowl and shoved it in her hands.

" T-thank you," Hinata managed to say trying to brace herself as she sipped a bit only to be surprised by the flavor.

" It tastes nice" was her only response as she ate the soup hungrily, afraid she wouldn't be able to stomach anything else.

Finishing her dish Hinata smiled happily and drank the rest of her glass, loosing track of time.

-

atupatupatupatupatupatupatupatupatupatupatupatupatupatupatupatupatupatupatup

-

_This dance is getting tiresome. Even with the majority of the females gone there's still noise ruining the music _Gaara scowled as one of his favorite songs was interrupted by laughter. Scanning the room his eyes caught the loquacious roses standing near the food table. They were smiling while the teal female talked incessantly. _Obviously the lithe dancer was skilled in gab as well. _

_'You always were great at choosing'_

Gaara's glare intensified at Shukaku's venomous sarcasm but he gave no other sign of his feelings.

He continued to glare at the females when a noise from his stomach reminded him he needed to eat so he sent his sand toward the tables letting it slide under the dancers.

Then his sand began to examine the banquet options and decided that some citrus meat would be best. The sand served him some wine and slithered over to the noisy table to find his meat. It carefully chose a large portion, placing it on a plate, then returned to Gaara as he transported himself, startling the two chatter boxes.

He resisted the urge to smirk at their discomfort, as they automatically became silent, and began to eat his meal.

Hinata looked at Tenten, unsure of what to do with the Kaze so close, but only got a blank look of confusion as an answer. They remained silent, watching him eat until he glared at them viciously.

They both looked away and Tenten dragged Hinata to dance with her.

Gaara kept eating his food staring into nothingness as his sand watched them dance around, giggling when ever Hinata was dipped.

He finished eating then disappearing into his sand trying to restrain his sudden urge for blood

-

pollortpollortpollortpollortpollortpollortpollortpollortpollortpollortpollortpollort

-

Hinata made it to the second floor landing a bit dazed, as the music seemed to linger, when she recalled Akamaru and went to ask the maid if she could go back to get some scraps.

"No need, I'll retrieve some dog food in a moment. This leash arrived a moment ago so you can take the animal for a walk in the mean time"

Hinata bowed thankful and quickly made her way to her room. Once inside she spotted Akamaru as he ran toward her yelping and attempting to climb her legs.

" I'm sorry I took so long but they said they'll bring you food and I even got a leash so you can get out of this room," Hinata announced smiling down at the eager pup but it took her a moment to figure out how the strap worked.

They traveled down the hall and down the stairs though Hinata was practically being dragged the whole time.

_For a puppy he's strong _was all Hinata could think of as they took curve after curve. She finally forced him to stop as she panted, catching her breath.

" Come on Akamaru it's time to get back, I'm tired and I'm sure your hungry" Hinata requested.

He barked and they made their way back to the main staircase passing several motionless guards as they went.

After 20 minutes of walking they made it back to her room where a small table stood holding a bag of dog food and a water bowl.

Akamaru ate quickly while Hinata searched for something to wear to bed.

_I must have forgotten my pajamas at home in my hurry_ she frowned at her predicament and decided to just sleep in the dress' under gown. After all Akamaru was a dog, her roommates were apparently gone, and it wasn't all that see through so no one would know.

After returning form the bathroom she noticed a small rose on her pillow.

The rose had only a tinge of color contrasting its glass surface: The stem had a slight streak of tan running through it and there were no leaves but sharp vicious looking thorns dotting the stem in an alternate fashion. The thorns were jet black and seemed to hold no light giving a drastic contrast the splashes of crimson from the rose petals.

_It's an odd flower, seemingly beautiful yet it contains an unspoken danger. _

She smiled at her prize and gently placed it on her desk before happily scooping Akamaru up and hugging him close.

"Can you believe I managed to pass Akamaru" she murmured into his fur, pleased at being able to express her feelings with someone.

She held him a moment longer before snuggled into the plush bedspread with Akamaru coiled up at her side_. At least I'm not alone..._

_-_

pmartpmartpmartpmartpmartpmartpmartpmartpmartpmartpmartpmartpmartpmartpmart

-

"You do realize that if were caught we could be killed, considered mere spies, or insolent traitors?" a cold voice asked, annoyance and impatience clearly laced into his words.

"Don't worry man, we aint gona get caught. I mean come on everyone says your good, isn't it about time you proved you got skills. You aint gona chicken out, just like that, cuz the consequences are just a tad bit dangerous are you?... and here I though you were a fearless ninja" his companion stated making a bold attempt at reverse psychology as they trotted toward an alleyway concealed at all ties under the shadows.

"I don't have to prove anything to you. If that's your only argument, I might as well head back. You're all talk anyways."

"Hey don't get your panties in a bunch," he sighed. " I told you, I'll give you the negatives to your 'experimental' kiss during the chunnin exams" he annunciated each word to make sure his bribe was clear before adding, " plus I'm also givin up my summer to keep that baka from annoying yah. Isn't that enough?"

"..." silence was the only response he got so he knew he'd won.

"Look if you want we could always switch places in our disguises... you don't have to be..."

"Look its fine…but I swear if anyone finds out I'll make sure you spend the rest of your miserable life withering in pain, lost in an eternal nightmare, as you beg for mercy before I castrate you myself."


	4. Rain

**Disclaimer: **I don't own shit so fuck it

_thoughts ..."_speech_"... 'Shukaku speech'_

**Reader Warning **

Simply: if ur anti-gore ur fucked...if u dont like twists ur fucked... ..and if aint keen on swears ur screwed like hell, up the ass with a 2X4

so good luck reading this shit.

**Desert Moon**

After a light breakfast the girls were escorted back into the ballroom where music was already playing by the musicians hidden within the stages shadows.

Hinata scanned the room observing the slight distinction in decorations and the new scents from the food. She wasn't very hungry but decided to nibble on some food so it wouldn't seem so awkward.

The room seemed rather empty after the bulk of the females had been eliminated, though it wasn't excessive. There was a lot more room to move so some of the girls were taking this time to practice dancing and their twirls while other ate at the new side tables.

Seeing as no one was even monitoring them Hinata decided to join in and try some simple sidesteps, following the lead of a brunet with a large gold dragon across her waist. She was nervous about having to do another group dance and wanted to practice while she could so she wouldn't step on too many feet this time.

The music was still fairly slow but it made it easier to follow along and even Hinata had to admit it was a bit fun trying to dance and watching some girls waltz with invisible males.

It didnt take long for the room to be filled with horribly misstepped and uncoordinated movements, while girls tried to figure out the style for each song and incorporate some excessive flare.

Every girls took part in the odd games even if it was only clapping most of the time, like Hinata. But it was past 2 when the girls took another break for some refreshments and a brunette tripped over her dress laughing.

"I think the floor's really comfortable…you girls should come join me" she joked, laughing the entire time, while trying to reach for another cup.

That's when Kankuro entered and he couldn't help but realize _the girls obviously haven't figured out that all the drinks were alcoholic _but he smiled at his new chances watching as they enjoyed themselves, barely noticing his entrance.

_**-**_

_**Tepmurtstepmurtstepmurtstepmurtstepmurtstepmurtstepmurtstepmurtstepmurtstepmurts**_

_**-**_

_When Gaara appeared he just sat on stage, with his eyes unfocused, gazing incessantly at the back wall. By then most girls sobered up and just started to dance automatically, regaining their proper grace as they remembered their goal. Meanwhile I was still trying to follow along, swaying from side to side so I didn't look completely uncoordinated, though I'm sure I still did._

_We went through only a few more songs before the music ended mid tune with Gaara already at center stage glaring at us. _

"_Now. Outside."_

_He spoke evenly, never raising his tone, disappearing from stage and into the courtyard.…while we followed him like loyal dogs, taking little notice of the unseasonable breeze until it began to drizzle softly. _

_The sky was a darkening gray as storm clouds moved in quickly, looming dangerously with each crack of thunder._

_Gaara didn't seem interested, merely leaning against the fence, while that purple cat-eared shinobi handed each of us a pair of shurikans and explained the rules:_

"Y_ou are going to have a free-for-all using only the weapons you just received, No jitsus allowed, and all Dessert Roses who lose a limb during the battle are disqualified automatically."_

_I snapped my gaze toward Gaara, once more, shocked at the handicap he was proposing but I didn't have time to think as blood colored my vision._

_...Amidst the drizzle girls were just chopping off any limb that came near them… The dresses were useful in giving away our positions, as they contrasted with the surroundings and proved difficult to maneuver. _

_...and by the time the rain began to pour mercilessly from above, I was fighting with all I had; standing my ground- mostly because the entire battle field was ready to trap my shoes in mud.… _

_The battles were fairly even… I was countering two girls, one in yellow and the other in maroon, neither a skilled weapons wielder but both stubborn and tireless in their offense. I aimed at their hands trying to slice off a finger to insure the least damage possible. Though, mostly I just concentrated on avoiding their swipes as they slashed wide, willing to cut off my head if I hesitated. _

_I blocked another combo from the maroon nin when a cry from my left made me jump backwards, discarding my shoes without thinking. The rain was getting stronger, pelting down and obscuring my vision, but I still caught sight of the yellow nin holding her severed arm and glaring out at the offending rain, before the storm decided to encase us in darkness._

_I was lucky lightning flashed, revealing a sneak assault from above. It gave me enough time to throw myself to the ground, feeling the frigid mud contact my skin as something sliced threw the side of my dress. I flipped toward my left hearing someone land to my right. Then sensing the oncoming slash I jumped away in spite of the pain it caused my feet when I landed on a discarded hand._

_By then, I wasn't sure of anything I just held the blades before me and blocked each attack as best I could, forcing myself to avoid activating my Byakugan as another blade made contact with my back._

_I don't even know how long we fought but even the harsh pounding of the rain seemed more like a blessing, washing away the pungent smell of blood and distracting me from the savage sight that surrounded me._

_I knew I wasn't going to last much longer… there were just to many shinobi attacking me at once, my chakra was draining under my effort, and deep cut on my arm left me spinning from the blood loss. Everywhere I jumped there were pieces of people laying on the ground, but I could barely think as blocked again and again trying to avoid being among those dismembered._

_I was fighting automatically… blocking right, slicing left, and leaping away each time they closed in on me so I almost laughed when I felt water encase me, ready to drown me and end my miserable struggle. And I felt robbed when I was released moments later because the battle was over._

…_Then I …I just stared…looking at the black swirls that tended to the wounded bodies…watching the red wash away and leave dark splotches dotting the ground. The dresses with their elegant colors and styles were no more then muddied rags amidst the torrent of water._

_Even the screams from re-growing bones were hushed as it rained…Truth is I'm not sure of much else… I just stood there numb drenched by the rain, unable to feel anything as a shinobi healed the gash on my arm and stomach._

She paused during her journal entry and her eyes darkened as she recalled appearing suddenly within the mansions ballroom, surrounded by less then 2 dozen women, each stoic and unmoving within the deafening silence that resounded.

_...I looked up from the spiraled floor, still numb from the adrenaline and gory sight, and watched Gaara as he glared at the back wall...his eyes shadowed by the dim yellow lights, masking his emotions, clenching his jaw excessively and for a moment I waited for him to bare his teeth and devour us. I expected my death but felt nothing ...__Realizing I was just some lowly figure amidst his bride-to-be's..._

_**-**_

_**!kazit ba ria file !kazit ba ria file !kazit ba ria file !kazit ba ria file !kazit ba ria file**_

_**-**_

Kankuro just stood there barely seeing more then blobs as he told all the remaining females to line up for treatment and de-masking.

He could hear the screams now as his men worked quickly using the most efficient healing methods, in spite of the excruciating pain they caused.

But, he was lost in thought; concentrating with growing unease on the contest and forgetting for a moment the wet females and the erotic displays the cold provided.

_the kid wasn't even a man yet and he'd gotten the girls to dismantle each other when it wasn't even necessary_…

-

_**olucnaffavolucnaffavolucnaffavolucnaffavolucnaffavolucnaffavolucnaffavolucnaffav**_

_**-**_

He'd been dozing off on his balcony, oblivious even to the crescent moon as he felt the rain cascade off his body.

The rain brought with it a rare event…it drowned out Shukaku's voice.

It was as close as he ever got to sleeping and being in full control. He was awoken, however, as the storms force subsided and Shukaku made his presence once again evident, intruding on his thoughts with a lulling whisper.

'_Mastery of rain is…a rare ABU skill. Few train for such a draining task seeing as the jitsu leaves them open to attack, and at the mercy of the very storm they began…'_

_'he made a great addition to our sand, drowning in his own blood' _

Gaara could feel Shukaku smirk but continued to ignore the demon choosing instead to stare out, toward the village, through the drops of intermittent rain.

'_You should of let me kill Kankuro as well, for that treachery. He deprived us of all that fresh blood, washing it away and veiling it behind this retched storm.'_

A slight smirk appeared on Gaara's features while the storm surged again harnessing the wind to whip past him and almost make him cold. He could hear the sharp impact from the rain on his roof but it was soothing, he closed his eyes remembering the pathetic females who stood before him: drenched, without makeup, or proper dress…each restraining the urge to shiver.

_It was silent… as each shinobi stood waiting while the last nin was transported in. Shukaku was pleased watching the frail creatures before him, meeting their eyes and hoping to catch the slightest flicker of fear. I'd quickly restrained him but non-the-less assessed the tares and marks they'd inflicted so willingly on each other._

_They were hardly beautiful, though oddly interesting in their own homely ways. Some managed to stand poised and alert while others looked ready to dodge and fight, still pumped with adrenaline. The most interesting girls could barely stand…needing only a nudge to fall over (two of which were already on the ground). _

_All their major wounds were healed but some blood persisted, penetrating their clothes and hair, making their innocent masks appear devilish... distorted with their wild hair, as savage as their eyes._

_That pale eyed shinobi was one of those that took the most damage with large tears and shallow wounds on display. … She'd been watching me with those watered-down eyes, observing me ... _

As he stared toward the retreating storm clouds ignoring Shukaku's plans to '_watch her breath hitch while she bleeds_' his last thoughts on the matter were simple ..._she'll be just another rush to prove I live._


	5. Day 3, Vision

**Disclaimer: **I don't own shit so fuck it

_thoughts ..."_speech_"... 'Shukaku speech'_

**Reader Warning **

Simply: if ur anti-gore ur fucked...if u dont like twists ur fucked... ..and if aint keen on swears ur screwed like hell, up the ass with a 2X4

so good luck reading this shit.

**Desert Moon**

After tossing and turning in her sleep, Hinata found herself suddenly awake. She activated her Byakugan to see what caused her reaction but found no sign of a threat. Akamaru growled playfully in his sleep and she smiled down at him petting his fur gently, reminding herself to thank the guys for making her bring him since he made being alone tolerable.

Noticing the balcony she grabbed one of the tiny extra blankets and rapped herself up using it like a shall, deciding to look at the stars like she would back home, _maybe they'll help me relax so i could sleep a few hours, at least. _

She was almost to the door when she noticed her mask and on a whim put it on as well.

It was still cold outside but it didn't seem much colder then earlier. The sky was almost black with no stars, only the moon was visible, hidden behind a fog. The darkness held the village in shadow making it appear gray and black in contrast--leaving behind bleak abandoned houses and ominous shapes in the darkness.

An artic wind blew by sending shivers down her spine, she clutched her 'shawl' tightly deciding to go back inside when a voice startled her..

"you shouldn't be out here"

Hinata's head snapped upward but there was no sign of Gaara and she was severely tempted to try and use her Byakugan.

Her heart was beating loudly and she pulled her blanket closer doing her best to respond while nervously searching for him, "I..I jjust..I.."

Gaara was leaning against her balcony doorway with his arms crossed over his chest, and his hair wiping over his tattoo, covering his left eye briefly. He looked calm, analyzing her with his stare, taking no notice of the bitter cold or anything wrong with their meeting.

Hinata just stared at him wide eyed, mouth slightly agape, as the wind tangled her hair. Her arms were covered in goosebumps and her lips and cheeks held a tinge of pink, from the cold, but were quickly turning a bright red.

Gaara continued watching her odd behavior intently but a strong gust forced him to momentarily lose eye contact, bracing himself against the wall to avoid tumbling.

Hinata didn't notice the winds strength until Gaara looked away and she felt her skirt fly up. She quickly pushed it down but the wind was too strong and she fell to the floor, sliding a bit till her side hit against the banister.

Her skirt was adamant about flying and it didn't seem like the wind was going to calm any time soon. She quickly turned toward her doorway seeing Gaara stubbornly retain his position: pressing his back to the wall, with his legs spread, and his arms still crossed defiantly against his chest. His hair was flying everywhere but she could see him watching her through her brief glimpses, his gaze challenging and curious, yet still retaining that cold edge.

_I cant just stay here _she forced herself into a crawling position trying to make it to her doorway. The wind and her heavy clothes kept pushing her back the more she progressed. Her blanket was long gone probably on the street somewhere but she hardly noticed it as she dragged herself forward.

Not expecting the sudden gust that came next Hinata was thrown ungraciously backwards, her skirt covering her eyes as the wind assaulted her bear legs, giving Gaara a generous view.

The next thing she knew they were both inside her room with the balcony doors closed, and the only light came from the window as the wind continued to howl outside.

She forced herself to stand up; her face flushed as she stared at the floor and tried not to think about the fact that she had a topless male in her room. _Father would kill me for this._

Neither spoke as she looked at his shoes conscious of every noise and the sent of his cologne. She'd just blinked when she realized he stood only a few inches away. Shocked and confused she took a step back but a wall prevented her escape. Unsure of what else to do she looked up and met his gaze.

His stoic appearance never once wavered and yet her heart wouldn't slow down… almost positive that he was leaning closer each time, enticing her with his heat.

She was sure she'd faint once his hand gently grazed her cheek while his lips remained only inches away….

He suddenly stopped and just stood there enjoying how she squired, wanting to leave but unwilling to move away. Watching her struggle to decide what to do he smirked cruelly and closed their distance. He was only a breath away when she felt him fondle her left breast, as she gasped in shock, he took her response as permission to continue …

_**-**_

_**aloccoz,anattup,aiort,elatnozziro,anottab,ailgauq,ecirterem,aloiccul**_

_**-**_

Awoken with a start she quickly sat up trying to even out her breathing and cool her reddened cheeks.

Glancing at the clock it revealed she was actually quite early but she climbed off the bed still anxious as she looked around almost trying to prove to herself that it was in fact a dream.

Akamaru gave a soft halfhearted bark to entice her to bed seeing as the sun hadn't even risen yet, but she just grabbed a towel and headed toward the shower, unnerved by the almost tangent aspect of her dream… though she could only recall small fragments now and the image of him standing before her with his hair disheveled as those piercing eyes held her captive.

She ran a hand through her hair and chose a long shower to ease her nerves, attributing her dream to the confusion from the day before.

After raping her hair in a towel she slid on the new undergown and her dress, walked back into her room to see the full length mirror when she noticed the missing sleeve.

While the dress was clean it was still damaged. In disbelief she stared at the mirror's image noticing how the detailed stitching was torn in various places, with its now ragged edges glaring back at her.

She spoke softly to herself as she realized the extent of damage done to her gown.

"I thought they were going to fix the dress…I just…I" she glanced down at Akamaru hoping for a solution but he just stared at her with his soft brown eyes seemingly concerned.

She gave him a halfhearted smile trying not to worry him as she ran her hand over a sizable tear that left part of her stomach and left side bare. The missing sleeve she recalled losing along with a sizable amount of blood but she vanished those memories as her eyes focused on the bottom of her dress… which seemed to hold the most damage.

Frayed edges and glaring holes now adorned it with deep gashes in random sections and a large slit across her left side. _It's not a gown a suitor would wear…_

Vanishing that thought she pulled her hair into a quick bun and scavengered her room for anything that could make the dress more presentable; finding only a pair of scissors, a handful of pins, and no sign of the maids.

With the scissors she straitened the cut of the missing sleeve and sliced off the other sleeve for symmetry. Using the pins she folded a bit of the fabric so she wouldn't have her stomach exposed.

She sighed at the still visible holes but decided there was nothing more she could do She didn't even have time or material to fix the slit which came up a bit past her knee. The serpent dragon was now missing scales and a good portion of its tail but the new undergown covered the gaps so at least she wasn't indecent…her new pair of black shoes, however, seemed way to shiny for what was left of her dress.

She stared at herself a moment longer but Akamaru's barking reminded her she was going to be late for breakfast. She left quickly, barely conscious of her movements as she readied herself for the elimination, already losing her appetite.

_**-**_

_**tnargavtnargavtnargavtnargavtnargavtnargavtnargavtnargavtnargavtnargavtnargav**_

**-**

Filling into the ballroom, it seemed really empty. Hinata like the other girls just sat at the coffee tables on the sidelines, nervous because the competition was much more prevalent now that they could size each other up.

The music played some upbeat tunes but the girls remained seated; a few talked but most just listened to the melody or fiddled with their clothes.

They all looked up when the music hissed into a high screech, holding the high note then abruptly cutting itself off as a set of ninja appeared on the dance floor. The nin were dressed in red or tan but each wore a black sash, with only their eyes visible.

The girls watched with apprehension as the harmonica started playing, alone for a moment, while the shinobi separated; some stood on the right and left side while the bulk remained in the middle.

When the other instruments joined the melody, shurikans were flying from the sidelines while the center nin did flips and stunts to avoid each blade. The weapons were then easily caught by the shinobi on the opposite side and they repeated the act.

They flung the blades quickly, without pauses, and at different angels ..and each time the center nins dodged easily, moving with the music in some sort of dance, timing their landings and movements as they incorporated the entire dance floor in their game.

Hinata watched in shock, focusing on one nin to try and see how he could possibly manage such a thing without seeing the blades and with such bulky clothing.

They held no fear, simply moving with precision and focusing on the music. Even as the song changed again and again, they continued their performance changing it so it suited the song but always trying to kill the center dancers. During a folk song the dance consisted of break dancing, incorporating nothing but spins into their movements.

It was during a slow song that they incorporated jumps and angled balancing acts, slowly moving into odd positions that barely skimmed the oncoming attacks when the sudden echo from the violin made the dancers pause mid step, capturing the shurikans before sticking their poses. Holding one blade in their hand with the other blade secured between their teeth, sustaining their weight in a one handed hand-stand. The dancers then disappeared into dust while those who aimed the attacks appeared before the girls with their hands outstretched.

The music was slowly starting and Hinata just glanced around to see what the other girls were doing, and if there was any escape.

The other females were slowly heading toward the dance floor behind the nin, following their lead. She forced herself to look up, only to stare into powerful gray eyes on a lightly tanned face, and quickly decided that the floor was a nicer view. When the song ended she forced herself to look up once more, but he kept the same expression waiting for her to concede. Nervously she raised her hand onto his tan glove and let him lead her toward the others, hoping desperately that she wouldn't make a fool of herself.

The song was a country melody and she seemed to be giving the nin trouble because her feet refused to move when he placed a hand on her waist. The dancers moved around them as they just stood there, and she desperately tried to get herself to move. He didn't seem angry at her but it was hard to tell with his calm unmoving expression.

She didn't expect him to take a backwards step or to pull her forward using the hand on her waist so she almost fell on him, her eyes wide from shock. He then moved left and pulled her with him, a bit less forceful now that she seemed to remember how to move.

They didn't exactly dance like the others, merely moving side to side with a few spins, no twirls or dips in their repertoire. When the song ended another began, picking up speed, but her partner remained dancing at a mid pace.

It turned out to be kind of fun, though she was still incredibly nervous, and managed to step on the guy various times before any song ended. They continued dancing the same styles so Hinata learned some of the moves and managed to save the guy some pain.

The quick paced songs were actually the best since they didn't give her any time to second-guess herself and the swapping partners thing was interesting. He'd send her twirling and then she'd be with some other tanned nin with the only distinguishing feature being their eyes.

By 4pm she'd danced with every nin there it seemed. Their eyes varied from gray all the way to black, the darker shades being far more dominant, a few even had bicolor eyes or an eye of each shade, something she'd never seen in her village.

Most girls didn't even notice when they were swapped toward each other, allowing the males a chance to sneak off and stand near the side walls like before.

_**-**_

_**Tnuctnuctnuctnuctnuctnuctnuctnuctnuctnuctnuctnuctnuctnuctnuctnuctnuctnuctnuc**_

_**-**_

The girls were taking a break, eating at their tables, when Kankuro and Gaara made their entrance.

Kankuro forced his eyes off a gray female's exposed thigh to focus on the parchment in front of him, announcing Gaara's plan for the day.

"The Lord Kaze has decided that for today you will perform a standard practice exercise that demonstrates skill and agility." he paused to make sure they understood, forcing himself to avoid adding the tiny fact that only the most skilled assassins and elite nin mastered the exercise.

"Earlier you were given a demonstration of this markman game, but seeing as this is your first attempt you are only expected to avoid having a dagger in betted in you."

He took a deep breath, trying to vanish the image of the possible horrors this could result in, before continuing, "during the song swaps Gaara will separate those who fail. They can eat at the buffet, after removing their masks, until it becomes time to go" he finished glancing toward Gaara to see if he forgot something.

His little brother didn't even acknowledge him as he sat there with his eyes closed.

His breathing was a bit off so Kankuro decided to start this off and do the first elimination for him, while Gaara got himself under control. _There's no way this is gona turn out well, he's already struggling and the girls haven't even started to bleed… _

The girls were already lined up in front of the stage, nervously glancing at the weapons wielders who stood in the same positions from earlier, so Kankuro gave the signal to start... but nothing happened.

Neither of the six shadows moved as they stared at him with their dark onyx eyes. _Their stares would of made lots of guys shrink and wuss out but damn after handling Gaara for so many years its not likely I'll find a guy to scare me shitless with just a glance, any time soon_.

He wasn't about to give them a direct command so he decided to just wait it out, instead of matching glares with killers, while girls giggled at the display of "authority".

Soon a soft quick-paced melody played, it mixed all six of their instruments, harmonizing and confusing the dancers.

A spring of jumping and twirling ensued as the blades began slicing through the pack of girls. Slightly slower then earlier but still aimed toward vital organs. It was an incredible mess, the girls flipped , jumped, ducked, turned, and moved in quick movements with little regard for the music, merely trying to get out for the way and avoid running into other nin.

Two girls were already out after bumping into each other… but they kept dodging regardless since the song wasn't over and they were still being targeted.

Hinata still couldn't use her bloodline gift but regardless her eye sight was sharp and the blades only skimmed her during the song.

Her luck didn't last long as more nin took aim while the harmonica continuously speed up. Blade after blade sliced through Hinata's dress, as her blood covered the clothing gaps but she managed to avoid having a shurikan wedged inside her so far.

Gaara at this point was watching the game, transfixed; as his eyes focused on each new wound his arms tightened on the chair cracking the wooden frame easily.

Kankuro knew his brothers control was slipping further but he couldn't risk ending the test. Gaara was above all stubborn and an early end would rise his temper and maybe give Shukaku the edge, that basterd needed.

The game continued as the girls sat themselves down each time, nursing the flesh wounds carefully.

The musicians seemed almost sadistic in their speed, rising the tempo each time and lengthening the songs so the butchered females had no choice but to endure.

But when Gaara doubled over in his chair clutching his head in agony Kankuro choose to risk Gaara's wrath by ending the event.

"Stop! Now all those who passed should head to the dinning room for supper. The rest should wash up and meet me outside."

The knife wielders surprisingly obeyed the command to halt, and Kankuro quickly headed toward his brother.

"Taski check for winners" were his last words as Kankuro transported himself and the growling Kaze out of the room.

Once they'd left the band disappeared along with most of the male shinobi, leaving only two behind. One escorted those that were seated toward the courtyard while the other inspected the remaining dancers.

_**-**_

_**Nociramnociramnociramnociramnociramnociramnociramnociramnociramnociram**_

_**-**_

After a quick dinner she headed toward her room, anxious to shower and treat her latest scars.

The door didn't make a sound as she entered but she expected Akamaru to lunge at her before she could even close the door. When he didn't appear to greet her she scanned the room, calling out to him while she filled his food and water bowl.

"where could he have gone" she whispered to herself using her bloodline gift to scan the other floors, thinking he might of snuck out in search of food.

She couldn't seem to track him, everywhere she looked she just saw guards and rooms with books... If she got caught peaking into the rooms she'd be eliminated but she was more worried about Akamaru losing his head and Kiba's reaction.

After giving the kitchen a second scan she took a deep breath and steeled herself before scanning the third floor level. The entire floor was covered in a thick layer of marble probably since she could barely see through it, managing to distinguish vague images of furniture and no apparent movement.

Giving another scan toward the front of the mansion she saw movement in the stables but couldn't be sure if it was Akamaru or one of the horses.

Unwilling to risk being wrong she grabbed the leash and headed toward the stables.

The building was fairly large, a light tan shade with hay pilled up in the corner of each stall.

The horses were quite large varying in colors but mostly remaining white or black, a trait she recognized from the breeding practices of the region, a tradition to insure quick and reliable steeds.

A strange spotted mare calmly watched Hinata as she searched the stable, calling out for Akamaru softly before getting ready to activate her Byakugan.

"What are you doing"

That was all it took for her to make a fool of herself, as she quickly stopped the activation of her bloodline gift and turned toward him, tripping herself with the hay.

Gaara was standing a few stalls away still in his clothes from earlier, but his hair was messy and a saddle was lying near his feet, while his eyes still held that bloody edge.

She forced herself to stand and straiten out her dress, mumbling her apology as best she could with hay sticking to various parts of her dress. She was so focused on avoiding his gaze that she never noticed the blood that seeped into the hay from a gashed leg a black horse sustained or the tint of red still present on Akamaru's lips.

In fact, she continued to stare at her hands dusting off the hay until a pained yelp forced her to focus on the ground to his right where Akamaru stood. She knew it was him even though his frame was slowly becoming incased in sand.

A squeak managed to escape Hinata as she attempted to plead with Gaara but he was unmoved by her desperation.

They both just stood there, a stalemate of sorts, but as Akamaru's whimpers became more urgent Gaara smiled.

It was strange she wasn't sure why , after all it was a cruel smile that promised blood and agony, but in that moment she felt relief slide through her and she fainted.

_**-**_

_**regnomerohw,ereinattup,regnomerohw,ereinattup,regnomerohw,ereinattup,regnomerohw**_

_**-**_

It was quite comical standing there before that lilac eyed female, slowly squishing the life out of her pet, only to have her faint with a smile.

'_looks like she has a crush on you'_

_She fainted from fear; I was in the middle of killing her precious dog._

' _don't lie now Gaara, her cheeks are still red from gazing into your eyes' _Shukaku countered, smirking at the defensiveness of his little vessel.

During his inner monologue Gaara glared at Hinata, watching how her hair contrasted the floor. Then, using his sand, he raised her into a standing position, her head droopy and her body slack…her cheeks splashed pink as she remained completely at his mercy.

'_I think our little lamb got over stimulated'_


End file.
